Traction-engine.



G. L. HINSHAW a. H. A.- WADE.

TRACTION ENGINE. APPLIUATION FILED 00T. 6, 1908.

Patend May 1'?, 1910.

-i www G. L. HINSHAW & H.'A. WADE.

TRAoTIoN BGINE. APPLIOATION'I'ILED 00T. 6, 190B.

Patented May 17, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Hesikiah AIade iinirni) n 'vivi' iii GEORGE L'. HINSHAXV ND HESIKIAI A, lli/ADE, OF ABSOS, KA.NS.El.S.

TRACTIONJNGNE.

Specificatie-n of Letters Patent.

Patented May it?,

Application filed October G. 3.0023, Serial No. 456,405.

To allA tliliom 'it muy concern:

lle it linown that we. (licencia L. lliNsirxw and llicsiitiiii A. Wann citizens4 oi' the by declare the following' to lie a t'ull, clear. i

and exact description ot: the invention. ysuch as will enalile others skilled in the art to which it appertains to inalie ind use the saine.

'the present invention has reference to iinproreineuts in traction engines. its principal object beine` the production ot' an exceedingly durable and powerful eiizg'int` ot that type equipped with a steering nic-lianisin which, owing' to itsl extreme sensi.- tireness, may be readily and easilir nianipiz lated, the details otl construction ot .said mechanism including' the more important features of the invention.

'llo this end, the invention resides in the attachment to the stein ot' the bracket which carries the front:` wheel, ot' a worin wheel which meshes with and is driven by a worin whose casing` is likewise connected with the bracket stein, the rotation ot the worin being etl'cctcd by means of a red attached thereto at one end and provided aty the other end with a hand wheel.

the invention further resides in the particular construction ot the traine upon which the motor, and thc driving connections between the latter and the traction wheels are mounted.

'llie preferred embodiment ot' the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings` in which corresponding parts are designated by the saine reference numerals throughoutv the several views. i

Ut' the said drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation ot' the complete invention. Fig, 2

' is an enlarged detail view ofthe worin and worin gear. Fig. i is a bottoni plan View of the casing' in which thc worin is located. Fig. -itisa transverse sectional View taken on the line dts-4 of Fig. 2. Referring more particularly to the drawings, l designates generally the Vtraine of the machine, '2 the engine mounted thereupon, and 3 the rear or drive axle which carries upon its ends the traction wheels L 'lhc frame itselt' consists et' upper and lower skeleton members 5 and t3, whose sides are connected together by a series of zigzag braces T.4 the sides ot' eachifranie member terminating at their t'orward ends in trusses 'the connected 'free ends ot' the trusses terminate in collars t) through which ex tends the vertical stein portion oi an inverted iat-.shaped braclize lt. the legs of said bracket beine' provided with alining perlforations Vfor the reception of the pin or axle which carriesl the 'l'ront wheel 12.

Ythe .shalt 13 ot the engine has secured thereto at one end, a palle)v il connected by a belt l5 with a larger pnlleiv lll loose upon a sha't't iT disposed transversely of the traine and ioiirnaled at its ends in bearings mounted upon the sides ot' the upper member 5 .i i'rirtion clutch itl is operated in the usual inanner by extending' lever 19 which passes between a pair ot' spaced ily-wheels 20 with which the engine sliatt is provideth-and tere ininatesl within eas)Y reach of the driver who occupies the seat fl located above the engine.

'l`he .shaft 1T carries in addition to the clutch ineiiihers above re't'erred to` a sprocket', 22 connected b i' a chain 2li with a larger sprocket 2-ltast upon a shaft .25 disposed intermediate and parallel with the engine slia'lt and the shaft 1T, said shaft 25 being likewise jonrnaled in' bearings which are mounted upon the sides et the upper frame iiiemoer. This .shaft 25 carries 'pair of sprockets 't disposed upon opposite sides of the sprocket Bland connected by chains Z7 with sprockets 2S secured to the rear axle 3, the various connections above mentioned between the engine and the traction wheels ei'lecting the rotation of the latter, as will he apparei'it.

The steering mechanism by means of which the machine is guided during its travel, consists, primarily, o1 ay worin wheel 2t) and a worin 30, the latter being disposed within' and carried by a casing 31 which inclndes spaced upper and lower members and 33. The upper member of the casing4 extends directly across and above the worin wheel and terminates at 'its rce end in' a collar 3' which tits in a cup-shaped seat; 35'

formed in the hub of the worin Wheel, sai-d collar being` provided with an opening1 through which the bracket stein l() extends, The worin Wheel itself is rigidly connected. with said stein by a cross pin 3G, the lower member of the casing projecting beneath said wheel, as shown in Fig. l.

The worin which projects at one end beyond its casing is formed at such point siel with an eye 37 pivotally connected to the forward end of a longitudinally-disposed steering rod 38, Whose rear end has secured thereto a hand Wheel 39, adjacent which point said rod projects through an opening formed in the upper end ot' a vertical strap bolted at its lowerA end to the adjacent Side of the upper frame member. l Rotation of the hand wheel in either direction will therefore etl'ect a corresponding rotary movement of the worm which is in turn imparted to the worm wheel, thus shifting the position of the steering wheel.

The operation of the machine, as a whole, is believed to be apparent from the foregoing, and an extended description thereof is accordingly omitted.

lVhile the formation of the collar 34 through which the bracket stem projects, and the extension of the upper member of the casing across the worm wheel is sufficient ordinarily to support the casing 31 and to prevent lateral movement thereof, said easing may be further braced by means of an upwardly extending strap 4l, whose lower end is secured to the upper frame member 5 and whose upper end is fastened to the upper -casing member 32, the sides of which latter are preferably flanged, as indicated by the numeral 42, this construction serving to hold the above-mentioned strap against any tendency toward lateral movement.

lVhat is claimed is:

l. The combination, with a frame, and a pair ot supporting wheels, of a rotatable bracket carried by the franle and located in advance of the supporting Wheels; a steering wheel carried by said bracket; a7 worm wheel secured to the stem of said bracket; a casing comprising spaced upper and lower members, one ot said men'ibers being provided with a bearing having an opening through which said stem extends; a worin disposed within the space between said members and arranged for engagement with said worln wheel; and means for rotating said worm.

2. The combination, with a frame, and a pair of supporting wheels, of a rotatable bracket carried by the frame and located in advance ot' the supporting wheels; a steering wheel carried by said bracket a worm wheel secured to the stem of said bracket; a casing comprising spaced upper and lower members extending directly above and below the worm wheel, one of said members being provided with a bearing having an opening through which said stem extends; a worm disposed within the space between said members and arranged for engagement with said worm wheel; a rod connected at one end to said worm; and means secured to the other end of said rod, for rotating the same.

ln testimony whereof, we atiix our signatures in presence of two Witnesses. i

GEORGE L. HI N SHAV. HESIKTAII A. lVADE. lVitnesses:

Gn lV. HAwk,

H. A. BRYANT. 

